Stunt coordinator Greg Powell looked forward to action packed “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” because it was set to have no CGI fights.
Having a script which was full of action is what a stunt coordinator looks for and having everything set in practical stunt work makes it even better.
“The reason I liked this script particularly, it was all live action. There was no CG fights,” Powell said. “It was all live action, which I love. These days there’s so much CGI it’s sort of taken over the whole film screen.”
The script may not have gone through many changes, but there was a change in director that changed the way the movie was shot, but not the content of the movie.
Working on so many stunts which varied and the different people involved in the stunts took some time.
“It went on for quite awhile, because we changed directors literally weeks before we started. There were some major changes,” Powell said. “The stunts and everything, we always going to do that stuff, nothing was ever taken out, it was just shot in a different way.”
Working with an experienced cast like Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson, whom have experience makes Powell’s work easier.
Having people who enjoy what they do made Powell excited, especially since the cast brought skills which helped make creating the stunts more fun.
“Ryan (Reynolds) is very good because he actually rides a bike, he can fight, it makes it an awful lot easier, especially when they are enjoying the film,” Powell said. “It does help people like me when we are rehearsing and have to get their input and how they see it because we can get right into it, get their style and what they are thinking.”
Even with an experienced cast, the time needed to ensure safety which is Powell’s first concern takes time.
Practicing is an essential part of of the process and Powell was happy to get an opportunity to rehearse.
“We had lots of fight rehearsals, since there’s a number of fights in it,” Powell said. “Using doubles and a fight choreographer, the guys spent a number of weeks doing the fights. Then in Bulgaria we did some driving stuff.”
THE HITMAN'S BODYGUARD
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